Spatial zonation of macrobenthic fauna in Zhanjiang Mangrove Nature Reserve, Guangdong, China

The spatial zonation of macrobenthic fauna in the core region of Zhanjiang Mangrove Nature Reserve was studied with two transects vertical to the shoreline. The first transect was near Deyao Village where three faunal zones of the mangrove swamp could be divided into the following types from the high tide part to the low tide part: the Assiminea lutea-Uca arcuata-Paracleistostoma crassipilum zone, the Cleistostoma dilatatum-Macrophthalmus erato-Littoraria melanostoma zone, and the Paracleistostoma depressum-Cerithidae cingulata zone. Mollusck and crustacean exhibited the highest individual density in this transect. Mollusck mainly influenced the dynamics of community biomass as well as the species diversity index. In the second transect near Hongzhai Village, the following four faunal zones could be determined: the Littoraria melanostoma-Pseudoringicula sinensis-Ceratonereis burmensis zone, the Assiminea lutea-Cleistostoma dilatatum zone with a dominant species belonging to the Ellobiidae, Upogebia sp.-Paracleistostoma depressum zone, and the Metaplax sheni-Cerithidae cingulata zone. The crustacean showed the highest individual density in this transect. Similar to the Deyao transect, dynamics of community biomass and the species diversity index of the Hongzhai transect were mainly influenced by mollusck. By hierarchical clustering and nonmetric multidimensional scaling, the macrobenthic fauna communities could be divided into three and four groups in the Deyao and Hongzhai transects, respectively. These groups corresponded to different types of vegetation of the mangrove swamp. Taken together, our observations indicated that the spatial zonation of the macrobenthic fauna was mainly affected by the characteristics of the mangrove community, sediment characteristics and the tidal line.     

Spatial zonation of macrobenthic fauna in Zhanjiang Mangrove Nature Reserve, Guangdong, China

The spatial zonation of macrobenthic fauna in the core region of Zhanjiang Mangrove Nature Reserve was studied with two transects vertical to the shoreline. The first transect was near Deyao Village where three faunal zones of the mangrove swamp could be divided into the following types from the high tide part to the low tide part: the Assiminea lutea-Uca arcuata-Paracleistostoma crassipilum zone, the Cleistostoma dilatatum-Macrophthalmus erato-Littoraria melanostoma zone, and the Paracleistostoma depressum-Cerithidae cingulata zone. Mollusck and crustacean exhibited the highest individual density in this transect. Mollusck mainly influenced the dynamics of community biomass as well as the species diversity index. In the second transect near Hongzhai Village, the following four faunal zones could be determined: the Littoraria melanostoma-Pseudoringicula sinensis-Ceratonereis burmensis zone, the Assiminea lutea-Cleistostoma dilatatum zone with a dominant species belonging to the Ellobiidae, Upogebia sp.-Paracleistostoma depressum zone, and the Metaplax sheni-Cerithidae cingulata zone. The crustacean showed the highest individual density in this transect. Similar to the Deyao transect, dynamics of community biomass and the species diversity index of the Hongzhai transect were mainly influenced by mollusck. By hierarchical clustering and nonmetric multidimensional scaling, the macrobenthic fauna communities could be divided into three and four groups in the Deyao and Hongzhai transects, respectively. These groups corresponded to different types of vegetation of the mangrove swamp. Taken together, our observations indicated that the spatial zonation of the macrobenthic fauna was mainly affected by the characteristics of the mangrove community, sediment characteristics and the tidal line.     

浑河流域大型底栖动物摄食功能群对栖息地环境的选择适应性

在生态系统中特定的环境变量组合对应着特定的物种群落结构。栖息地环境的不同,大型底栖动物的分布和所表现出的生物学特征也存在差异。在浑河流域选取22个点位进行调查研究,通过对大型底栖动物进行功能群分类并结合生物性状分析(BTA, Biological Traits Analysis)对浑河流域不同大型底栖动物摄食功能群对栖息地生境的选择适应性进行研究。研究结果表明:捕食者功能群主要以毛翅目为主;直接收集者功能群主要以双翅目为主;刮食者功能群主要以基眼目为主;过滤收集者多为颤蚓目。浑河流域不同大型底栖动物摄食功能群存在明显的空间差异,典范对应分析结果显示:影响捕食者功能群的驱动因子是流速,直接收集者功能群的驱动因子是IOS指数,刮者功能群的驱动因子是溶解氧;过滤收集者功能群的驱动因子是溶解氧和电导率。生物性状分析结果显示:捕食者功能群身体上附有一层硬壳保护,可在水体中自由活动,多分布流速较快,底质复杂的小鹅卵石、圆石的底质中;直接收集者只有头壳具有较厚的甲壳质壁,头部口器不能直接摄食,所以多以微粒有机颗粒为主,分布在石块、部分圆石以及部分粗砂中;刮食者多以藻类、菌类等为食,足腺多分泌粘液,多粘附在较深流速缓慢,底质多为细沙粗粒,食物来源充足的水体;过滤收集者喜栖于淤泥底质中,吸食淤泥或过滤有机碎屑,故多分布于淤泥与细沙底质中。     

Spatial variations in macrobenthic fauna recolonisation in a tropical mangrove bay

Recolonisation by crab species and sediment-infauna taxa (at class level) in artificially regenerated mangrove stands of Avicennia marina, Rhizophora mucronata and Sonneratia alba (5 yr old) were studied using respective bare sites (open without mangroves or denuded) and natural sites (relatively undisturbed) as controls. The controls were chosen based on site history, physical proximity and tidal inundation class in reference to the particular reforested mangrove stand and samples randomly taken. A number of environmental variables were measured; interstitial water salinity and temperature (measured at low tide) were lower, whereas sediment organic matter content was higher in the areas with mangrove cover, with the natural sites having the highest content. The bare sites were generally sandier, whereas the areas with mangrove cover had higher proportions of clay and silt. Generally, there was a higher crab density in the reforested sites than in the bare sites, whereas crab species diversity (Shannon diversity index) did not vary from one site to another for any of the mangrove species. In terms of crab species composition, the reforested sites were more similar (Sørensen similarity coefficient) to the natural sites and less to the bare controls. For sediment-infauna, the reforested sites had a significantly higher density than the respective bare controls, while the natural sites had the highest density. The number of sediment-infauna taxa in both the reforested and natural sites of all the mangrove species was similar and higher than in the comparable bare sites. The results suggest that the reforested sites are supporting more faunal recolonisation, and therefore becoming more akin to the natural mangrove sites in terms of the investigated functional indicators. The findings seem to support the use of artificial mangrove regeneration (in areas where natural regeneration has been impeded by physical conditions or otherwise) as an effective management tool in the restoration and conservation of the functional integrity of degraded mangrove habitats.Key words: Crabs, Environmental variables, Kenya, Recolonisation, Restored mangroves, Sediment-infauna     

Changes in the seasonal rhythm of two forest communities during secondary succession

Changes in the seasonal rhythm of two plant phytocoenoses in a submountain beech forest during secondary succession were studied. Investigations were done on four monitoring plots with different stand density over the period of four successive years. The rhythm of the associations Dentario bulbiferae-Fagetum and Carici pilosae-Fagetum reflects the course of succession processes running six years after the human impact (cutting) in the ecosystem. Results of the phenological observations of the understorey species with the focus on the changes in flowering and colour spectrum allowed to make the comparisons between both associations in connection with different phyto-climatic conditions and in dependence on time. The most conspicuous changes in the seasonal rhythm and structure of the examined associations were found in conditions of the former clear-cut, currently in succession phase. A clear decrease (56%) in number of taxons with the dominance > 1% in one association towards the end of the 4-year study period was detected here. Simultaneously, a decrease in the number of flowering species was observed, while the relative rate of species being in the vegetative stage increased considerably (from 6 to 67%) over the growing season. The course of flowering of both of the associations missed discernible trends and peaks as well as colour spectra were partially changed during four monitored successive years on the formerly unstocked area.     

Patterns of secondary succession in a mangrove forest of Southern Florida

Summary Successional patterns were studied in mangrove forests which had developed recently in response to salinization of areas formerly supporting freshwater marshes along Biscayne Bay in North Miami, Florida. The population structures of these Induced Forests were compared with an adjacent Historical Forest which consisted of a nearly pure stand ofRhizophora mangle. A mixed forest ofRhizophora andLaguncularia racemosa had developed in intertidal areas, while areas above the mean high water elevation supported a scrub community dominated byLaguncularia. Maximum growth of bothRhizophora andLaguncularia occurred in intertidal areas, while both species were stunted and had sparse, poorly formed canopies in drier environments above the mean high water level. Analysis of population structure suggests that Induced Forests in intertidal areas are undergoing succession to a stand ofRhizophora. Laguncularia is unable to compete effectively withRhizophora in these areas and it is suggested that it eventually will be limited to the drier areas, where competition fromRhizophora will be reduced or absent.formely Kimball     

Ant community structure during forest succession in a subtropical forest in South-East China

Understanding how communities respond to environmental gradients is critical to predict responses of species to changing habitat conditions such as in regenerating secondary habitats after human land use. In this study, ground-living ants were sampled with pitfall traps in 27 plots in a heterogeneous and diverse subtropical forest to test if and how a broad set of environmental variables including elevation, successional age, and tree species richness influence ant diversity and community composition. In total, 13,441 ant individuals belonging to 71 species were found. Ant abundance was unrelated to all environmental variables. Rarefied ant species richness was negatively related to elevation, and Shannon diversity decreased with shrub cover. There was considerable variation in ant species amongst plots, associated with elevation, successional age, and variables related to succession such as shrub cover. It is shown that younger secondary forests may support a species-rich and diverse community of ants in subtropical forests even though the species composition between younger and older forests is markedly different. These findings confirm the conservation value of secondary subtropical forests, which is critical because subtropical forests have been heavily exploited by human activities globally. However, the findings also confirm that old-growth forest should have priority in conservation as it supports a distinct ant community. Our study identifies a set of ant species which are associated with successional age and may thus potentially assist local conservation planning.     

湛江高桥红树林湿地底栖动物粒径谱

在我国,红树林湿地底栖动物粒径谱研究很少。根据2010年1月、4月、7月、10月在湛江高桥红树林湿地获得的大型和小型底栖动物数据,构建了底栖动物生物量粒径谱,以期为湛江高桥红树林湿地的生态保护和持续利用提供科学依据。主要研究结果如下:(1)高桥红树林湿地生物量粒径谱基本为3峰模式。第一峰在-2粒级,主要由线虫构成;第二峰在4—12粒级,主要由寡毛类、多毛类和小个体甲壳类构成;第三峰在13—22粒级,主要由大个体腹足类、双壳类和甲壳类构成。(2)木榄、桐花树和无瓣海桑生境在0—4粒级之间出现一个明显的波谷,这个波谷介于线虫和寡毛类之间,是大型与小型底栖动物粒级交汇区。(3)高桥红树林湿地底栖动物正态化生物量粒径谱的斜率大于-1,截距为16.533—18.150。桐花树(Aegiceras corniculatum)和无瓣海桑(Sonneratia apetala)生境的截距、最小粒级的生物量(BMS)高于木榄(Bruguiera gymnorrhiza)和盐地鼠尾粟(Sporobolus virginicus)生境,说明桐花树和无瓣海桑生境的底栖动物生产力水平较木榄和盐地鼠尾粟生境的高;秋季的截距、BMS较其他季节高,说明秋季的底栖动物生产力水平较其他季节高。     

黄土高原天然次生林植被演替过程中土壤团聚体有机碳动态变化

土壤团聚体物理保护是促进有机碳积累主要机制之一。以黄土高原子午岭林区天然次生林植被演替群落为对象,研究从农田、草地（白羊草,Bothriochloa ischaemum）、灌木林（沙棘,Hippophae rhamnoides）、先锋林（山杨,Populus davidiana）到顶级林（辽东栎,Quercus liaotungensis）5个植被演替阶段0-20 cm土壤团聚体稳定性和团聚体有机碳的动态变化,并分析团聚体有机碳的影响因素。结果表明：土壤团聚体稳定性随着植被演替显著提高（P<0.05）,顶级林的团聚体稳定性最高;土壤有机碳含量和各粒径土壤团聚体（> 2 mm、2-0.25 mm、0.25-0.053 mm、<0.053 mm）有机碳含量均随着植被演替而增加。除草地0.25-0.053 mm团聚体有机碳含量最高外,其他演替阶段均为0.25-2 mm粒径最高。根系生物量、凋落物生物量、微生物生物量碳、团聚体稳定性均与团聚体有机碳含量呈显著正相关关系（P<0.05）。总体而言,长期植被演替有助于团聚体稳定性和团聚体有机碳累积。     

Bivalve fauna succession in the north Pacific during the Paleogene-Neogene transition

Cluster analysis was used to compare species composition of marine and brackish water bivalves in the Cenozoic deposits of the Russian Far East, Hokkaido, and California. Bivalvia species composition allows us to divide these deposits into two groups of clusters. The first group includes both extant and extinct species, while the second one is largely composed of extinct species. The drastic change in the bivalve species composition suggests that the base of the Uinin Horizon in the northern Sakhalin, Kuluven Horizon in the western Kamchatka, Tsubetsu Formation in eastern Hokkaido, and, possibly, the central part of the provincial Vaqueros Formation in California correspond to the Paleogene-Neogene boundary. The change in species composition was accompanied by the taxonomical diversity changes. At a higher level, the equitability of species richness among families significantly decreased.     

Changes in forest cover in China during the Holocene

Pollen map data at 2000-year intervals are used to reconstruct changes in Holocene forest cover in China north of the Yangtze River. In almost all regions, the early Holocene from 10 ka b.p. to 6 ka b.p. is characterised by an increase in forest cover although there was a reversal to lower forest cover at 8 ka b.p. in the eastern monsoon regions. A maximum of forest cover was reached at 6 ka b.p. in all regions except for Northeast China where forest cover peaked in the late Holocene. All regions except for Northeast China experienced a marked decline in forest cover after 6 ka b.p. Since 6 ka b.p., forest cover has decreased by about 92% in the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River, 64% in the easternmost part of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and 37% between the Yangtze River and the Huaihe River. In contrast, forest cover in Northeast China increased significantly from 6 ka b.p., but has declined between 2 ka b.p. and the present. Changes in forest cover prior to 6 ka b.p. were probably caused by climate, but the evident drop in forest cover since that time in most regions may have been induced predominantly by human activities.     

灵昆东滩围垦区内外大型底栖动物季节变化和功能群的比较

2006年2月至2006年11月在浙江的灵昆岛东滩湿地选择1997年围垦区以及围垦区外的自然滩涂作为样地,开展围垦区内、外大型底栖动物季节变化和功能群组成的研究,并探讨造成差异的原因.本次调查共发现大型底栖动物36种,隶属7门8纲22科,在围垦区外的中潮带发现的物种数最多,为26种.在这些物种中,绝大多数属于软体动物(12种)、节肢动物甲壳类(13种)以及环节动物门的沙蚕类(5种),分别为总物种数的33.3%、36.1%、13 .9%.定量调查共发现大型底栖动物24种,根据其食性类型划分为5个功能群.同时利用取样得到的数据,分别对围垦区内、外的密度、物种数以及各站点不同季节的物种多样性指数 Margalef S、Shannon-Weiner H′、Pielou J、Simpson D进行站点-季节间无重复双因素方差分析,并对大型底栖动物进行了功能群划分及多元统计分析.结果表明:围垦区内、外滩涂湿地大型底栖动物群落结构和功能群组成存在一定的差别;生境与大型底栖动物功能群的组成结构有一定的关系;围垦区内大型底栖动物的群落结构和功能群组成的季节变化大于围垦区外的自然滩涂[动物学报 54(3):416-427,2008].     

珠海鹤洲水道沿岸红树林湿地大型底栖动物群落特征

对珠海鹤洲水道沿岸的4个红树人工林(包括老鼠簕Acanthus ilicifolius、木榄Bruguiera gymnorrhiza、秋茄Kandelia candel和无瓣海桑Sonneratia apetala)样地和2个挺水植被(短叶茳芏Cyperus malaccensis和芦苇Phragmites australis)样地的大型底栖动物群落进行为期一年(2010年12月、2011年3、6、9月共4次野外采样)的生物调查。研究与分析了大型底栖动物的种类、生活型及功能群、栖息密度、平均生物量、多样性指数等群落特征,并结合等级聚类和非参数多变量标序(MDS)方法对大型底栖动物的群落结构进行深入探讨。本调查共采集大型底栖动物35种,包括环节动物(7种)、软体动物(10种)、甲壳动物(10种)、鱼类(1种)和其他无脊椎动物(7种)。优势种包括谭氏泥蟹(Ilyrplax deschampsi)(占总个体数的34%)、麦克碟尾虫(Discapseudes mackiei)(占总个体数的25%)、羽须鳃沙蚕(Dendronereis prinnaticirris)(占总个体数的12%)。在6种生境类型中,老鼠簕站位大型底栖动物物种数量最多,为19种,均匀度和多样性指数均较高;短叶茳芏样地大型底栖动物栖息密度最高,为254.7 ind/m2,但是多样性指数(H"=1.25)最低;无瓣海桑站位平均生物量最高,为32.0613 g/m2。研究结果表明：(1)不同生境下大型底栖动物群落结构存在显著差异,尤其是无瓣海桑站位,无论群落结构、优势种还是生活型等都与其它站位有明显不同;(2)围垦区人工湿地与自然滩涂大型底栖动物群落结构差异显著;(3)潮汐作用对大型底栖动物群落结构影响显著。     

Trophic functional groups and trophic levels of the macrobenthic community at the eastern tidal flat of Lingkun Island, China

A total of 33 taxa, including 21 families, 8 classes and 7 phyla, were found at the eastern tidal flat of Lingkun Island, Wenzhou Bay. Most of them were mollusks, crustaceans and polychaetes. The species numbers found at 3 tidal flats (high, middle and low) were 25, 30 and 14, respectively. It was shown that the high tidal flat had the highest value of diversity indices, followed by middle and low tidal flats. The species belonged to 5 different trophic functional groups: Phytophagous, Camivorous, Omnivorous, Planktophagous and Detritivorous in qualitative samplings. Then 3, 8, 5, 3 and 2 species belonged to Planktophagous, Phytophagous, Camivorous, Omnivorous and Detritivorous groups, respectively, in quantitative samplings. The density and species number of each functional group did not display seasonal variation by the two-way ANOVA method. Regardless of seasonal variation, density of the Phytophagous group and Camivorous group had distinct difference among different zones of tidal flats, and the species number of the Phytophagous group and Omnivorous group had obvious difference among different zones of tidal flats. Results show that there was variation of functional groups among habitats. Change in components of the macrobenthic community reflected different food sources in different zones of tidal flats.     

广东湛江保护区红树林种群的生物量及其分布格局

本文研究了广东湛江红树林自然保护区高桥镇红寨村及德耀村海滩红树植物的种群分布格局与生物量。结果表明：５年生桐花树群落、白骨壤群落、秋茄群落、１０年生木榄群落、３０年生红海榄群落的总生物量分别为５５４７５ｇ／ｍ２、１６３７０１ｇ／ｍ２、６２６４４８ｇ／ｍ２、４１３８４３ｇ／ｍ２、９６１０２０ｇ／ｍ２;其中地下部分生物量占总生物量的比例依次为３２２８％、４５４５％、４１３１％、２９８５％和２８２９％。计算得Ｓｈａｎｎｏｎ－Ｗｉｅｎｅｒ物种多样性指数为２２３２。种群的分布格局中桐花树、白骨壤、红海榄和秋茄种群为集群分布,而木榄种群为随机分布。     

Small-scale patterning in the recruitment of forest species during succession in tropical dry forest,Mozambique

Within a few years of field abandonment on the coastal dunes, a considerable number of species of trees and woody lianes of the climax evergreen forest enter the succession. At a relatively large-scale of analysis (a 100 m² plot), there is no evidence of soil development during the early succession, with no accumulation of soil organic matter nor nutrients being detected. At this scale there is, therefore, little support for the facilitation model of succession. However, when smaller scales of analysis are employed (e.g. a plot equivalent to the canopy area of a sapling) a very different picture emerges; most recruitment of forest woody species occurs beneath saplings found in early succession. Nutrient concentrations were higher in soils under sapling canopies than in soils beyond sapling canopies. With increasing sapling size, an increasing number of seedlings of forest woody species were found and there is progressive soil amelioration. Thus, during the early succession, there is considerable small-scale patterning in soil development and recruitment. This pattern is largely established through bird dispersal, with the intensity of recruitment being dependent on the distance to seed sources.     

胶州湾大型底栖软体动物物种多样性研究

1998年2月至2004年11月,共7年27个航次对胶州湾10个站进行综合调查,研究了其大型底栖软体动物的多样性现状(菲律宾蛤仔(Ruditapesphilippinarum)除外)并探讨其成因。结果表明:在胶州湾共发现62种底栖软体动物,优势种是滑理蛤(Theoralubrica)和豆形胡桃蛤(Nuculafaba)。从1998年至2004年期间物种多样性指数(H′)年际间波动幅度不大,且无明显的规律性变化;但季节变化明显,秋季和冬季较高,春季和夏季较低。物种均匀度指数(J)则为秋季最高(0.87),夏季最低(0.58)。物种丰富度指数(D)除夏季相对较低(1.82)外,其他三个季节差别不大。